President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has launched an unprecedented military operation in Haiti, deploying more than 2,000 soldiers within a single week with expectations that additional forces may arrive soon. The mission aims to rescue four Salvadoran nationals who have been missing since October 18 near the capital, Port-au-Prince. This swift and extensive intervention has raised numerous questions regarding its scope and execution in a Caribbean nation currently grappling with a deepening spiral of violence and political crisis.
On Wednesday, October 28, the Haitian government broke its silence six days after the arrival of the first special unit from Central America. Following a telephone exchange between Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and President Bukele, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral coordination and operational cooperation to address security challenges. The transitional government clarified in a brief statement that this Salvadoran intervention is taking place within the framework of the Gang Suppression Force (FRG).
The FRG is an international military mission that began operations in Haiti in April under a United Nations Security Council mandate. Its primary objective is to combat armed groups that have instilled terror across several regions, particularly in Port-au-Prince. While the deployment complicates the coherence of the existing anti-gang strategy established by the UN, the operation has sparked hope among many Haitians facing years of instability.
Sources: Le Monde International.